GET CARRIED AWAY WITH TANGO

From the moment I stepped on the dance floor, I fell in love with Argentine tango. Through partner dancing, Triangulo does an incredible job teaching absolute beginners (like myself) how to dance the tango. In an hour, I was taken by the hand and transported to the heart of Buenos Aires, Argentina without ever leaving New York City.

Leading up to my first tango lesson, I was both excited and nervous. Although I’ve danced my entire life, I never learned the Argentine tango. I did, however, spend many years admiring tango performances on “Dancing The Stars” – finally, this was my chance to give it a try!

As soon as I walked through the door, all of my worries melted away. I was blown away by my classmates who were practicing a few dance moves. At an open embrace, while chest-to-chest, my classmates moved as one. Even at a distance, I could feel their electric chemistry.

Before class started I also took a moment to admire the studio. There were colorful art pieces on the walls and beautiful vintage chandeliers hung from the ceiling. My favorite art piece was a breathtaking lifelike wall mural of joyous tango dancers in action.

Class started with a warm up which included a series of basic tango footwork. Our class was then divided into leaders and followers. The real fun started when we practiced the basic lead and follow. Don’t worry, you won’t need to bring a partner, just show up!

As we navigated around the dance floor, one of my biggest takeaways from my first tango lesson was learning how to follow my partner’s lead. Before the start of each song, we would sway together to center ourselves and feel the music. Despite the power struggle and a few missteps, I eventually started to get the hang of things. By the end of the class, I could sense the slightest shift in my partner’s body weight. Since tango is improvisational, closing my eyes helped me focus.

Although challenging at times, my instructor was there every step of the way. He was very attentive and took the time to coach me on posture, the embrace and how to walk intentionally with my hips.

I would say that my first tango lesson at Triangulo was an absolute success! I walked away from the class much more confident in myself, my ability to improvise and to follow direction. I was so surprised by how much I progressed in an hour. With a big smile on my face, I signed up for more lessons. I start in March!

I’ll be joining the four-part beginner tango series (no experience necessary). I can’t wait to strut my stuff and learn from the best.

If you’re thinking about going to your first Argentine tango lesson, don’t be afraid to get swept off your feet, literally!

We were invited guests to this experience, however, the opinions are our own.